Fireplace chute or ash drop



Feb. 10,1925.

Filed July 12 Snom/woz "atented Feb. 10, 1925i.

PATENT OFFICE.

PHILLIPS ABBOTT, F YARMOUTH, MAINE.

FIREPLACE CHUTE `0R .ASH DROP.

Application filed July 12, 1924. Serial No. 725,616.

if all 't0/1.0m t may concern.'

Beit known that I, PHILLIPS ABBOTT, a .esident in Yarmouth, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in so-called Fireplace Chutes or Ash Drops, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Various devices have heretofore been used for the purpose stated, all of which `known to me, embody one or more quite serious objections; among them, their cost, their lack of durability, the diiieulty of their manipulation and particularly, that the forms which were simple in their construction and method of operation were so made that there was danger in the event of carelessness in manipulating the device, that the cover for the opening would become displaced and drop through the opening into the ashpit or receptacle for the ashes, which is usually located in the cellar, i which, of course, necessitated the opening of the ash-pit, the fishing out of the cover and its replacement before a fire could be built upon the hearth or stove. Under my invention I obviate all of these difficulties.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. l illustrates a plan-view looking down uponthe device. Fig. 2 a sectional view thereof on about the line (2) (2) of Fig. l. Fig. 3 illustrates a front view partly in elevation and partly sectional, of the cover in its elevated position, adapted to be physically removed from the ash drop opening, and liig. l is a view similar to Fig. 3 but at right angles thereto.

In the drawings (l) illustrates a casting, preferably of cast iron and preferably made square and of such dimension that it will lay up well with the brickwork of the hearth. It has an opening (2) through its i central portion, which is preferably circular and is also provided with an inwardly eX- tending flange (8) which extends somewhat more than onehalf the entire circumference yof the opening, and the surface (4;) of this flange is preferably given a downward inclination as Shown, so that it may the more readily free itself from ashes. Five (5) is the cc ver for the opening. It Somewhat resembles an ordinary stove lid. It is made of such size that it will easily fit within the opening (2) in the casting (l) and rest upon the partly completed :flange (3), and this cover may be provided, if desired, with a reinforcing rib (G) in order to prevent warping.

The operation of the device is as fol` lows: The frame (l) is permanently set `in the brick or stone work of the hearth or in the bottom of the stove, as the case may be, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The cover is placed therein, as shown in Fig. 2, in which it rests upon and is supported by the partially incomplete flange (3), the

upper surface of the cover and the upper surface. of the frame (l) being substantially upon a level. )Viren it is desired to dump the ashes from the hearth or stove bottom, pressure is applied upon the unsupported edge (8) of the cover with a poker or other appropriate means, so that the cover will tilt upon the two ends of the ilange (3), they acting as trunnions for the cover. The smaller portion of the cover thereupon descends into the ash chute, whereas its larger portion projects upwardly into the air, as shown in Figs. 3 and t, and may be readily grasped by the fingers, particularly if a fold of scrap-paper be used, and bodily lifted from the frame (l), thus entirely opening the hole through which the ashes are to drop, and it will be particularly noted, because this is an essential feature of my invention, that inasmuch as the flange (3) extends materially beyond the middle line of the opening in the frame (l), as shown in Fig. l, that, therefore, it is impossible for the cover (5) to drop through the opening in the frame, because the diameter of the cover is such that it will exceed the distance Separating any part of the opening in the frame and any part of the flange (3). Thus, it will be physically impossible to lose the cover by reason of its dropping through this opening into the ash-pit below, and it wil-l be further particularly noted that the ashes being dropped through the opening, the cover may be shoved over it again, and that no utensil is needed for the manipulation of the cover and that no care is rcquired as to the adjustment of the cover or as to the side or part that is presented to any other side or part of the apparatus, because it will drop into its place upon being be impossible to drop thecolvertllirough theirV I prefer, however, to make the flange (3), as shown, since itso 1t aidsan opening.

adding solidity to the frame and tends to prevent its warping.

It will be noted that my invention has a series of advantages which Ir believe have never heretofore been realized. That isto say; extreme simplicity, low cost, great durability, impossibility o'fdroppingl'the cover into the underlying ash-pit, vand entire freedom from care or experience or specialntensils necessary for its linanipullation.

Having describedrmy invention'I claim:

l. An ashv drop comprising a. frame having an opening therein, a liange partially encircling the opening and a cover for the opening 4supported solely` by said vflange, the

relation between the frame and its flange and the cover being such that the latter cannot drop through the opening in the former.

2. An ash `drop comprising a frame having an opening therein, an inwardly extending lange extending more than halt way around the opening and a Cover for the opening adapted to rest therein and be supportedz by and to tilt upon the ends of the llange.

'3. An' ash drop comprising an exterior frame having an opening therein, an inwardly extending flange encircling a part only of the opening in the frame and afcover forthe opening`,'the diameter ol which is lgreater than the distance between the 'untlanged part oit' the frame andthe inner PHILLIPS ABBOTT.

'Patent No.` 1,525,711. Granted February 1o, 1925,10'

P111L1.11 s 111113011. r/

It siier'eby certf that error nppearsjn the above" numbered patent requiring or'recton n follows' The presentwdrawing' shouldb'canceled Ind the drawingl with the signature of the inventor is shotvn below should beinserted therefor as pnrt of the ptent:

Feb; 10, 1925. P. ABBOTT FIREPLACE CHUTE 0R ASH DROP Filed July 12,' 1924 the record-'of the case in the Patent Office. Signed qnd schied this 19th day of JunoA D. 1928.

:md that Athe! said Letters Patent should be read with thi correction therein that the same may conform to l M. J. Moore, 

